Fence-post base.



PATENTBD AUG. 9, 1904.

3. c. POWE.

FENCE POST BASE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

maniac Patented August 9, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SANFORD U. POWE, OF HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI.

FENCE FOST BASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,971, dated August 9, 1904.

Application filed November 23,1903. Serial No. 182,248. (No model.)

To car/Z7, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SANFORD O. Pown. acitizen of the United States, residing at I-Iattiesburg, in the county of Perry and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Post Bases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fence-posts, and pertains especially to a metallic base for fence and like posts. I

The object of the invention is to provide an improved socket or base for setting and holding fence-posts for draining off water of the surrounding earth and surface water, whereby the posts are preserved from decay below the surface of the earth and the life or utility of the posts is prolonged.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement and resides, essentially, in an open-end socket or base having solid or non perforated walls provided with inner grooves or channels and post-rests on the inner side of certain of the walls.

As far as known to me metallic post-bases of ordinary construction have a closed bottom or an open top and bottom with perforations or slots for water-drainage. The former c011- struction simply excludes water from the post, and the latter construction alfords a passage for water through the walls of the base. It is therefore the purpose of my invention to provide a post-base having grooves extending from the top to the bottom of the base which is open at each end, thereby affording ventilation and drainage throughout the length of the base, and to position lugs within the base for supporting the post without interfering with the function of said grooves.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the base, showing a post held thereby. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1 without the post. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the plane indicated by the dotted line X X, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the base.

The same numeral-references denote the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The invention being specially applicable to wooden fence-posts, it is shown in connection therewith. The post 1, being set into the top of the base, is supported by lugs 52 and 3, positioned upon the inner side of walls 4 and 5 diagonally opposite each other. The walls 4 and 5 each have a groove 6 extending the length of the walls and terminating in the open top 7 and bottom 8 of the base. The grooves clear the lugs, so as to form an open channel for air and water, and the lugs are positioned nearer the top than the bottom of the base, so as to leave considerable space between the bottom of the post and the bottom of the base, and thereby elevate the post considerably above the earth or base-foundation. The purpose of this arrangement is to form a chamber 9 for ventilation, which chamber is closed except for the grooves 6, so that in case of water entering the chamber either from the top or bottom of the base the water will descend into the earth. The dampness or moistureoccurring in the base will bereadily removed by the circulation of air through the grooves, and under the bottom of the post. The top of the base is provided with a surrounding flange 10, and the base-walls 4i, 5, 11,

and 152 are provided with cleats 18, extending from the flange 10 to the bottom of the walls. The flange rests upon the surface of the earth and obstructs drainage into the grooves, and the cleats form an anchor for the base and prevent its displacement.

It will be observed that the grooves form an uninterrupted air-channel to and from baseehamber, and thereby ventilate the base, so that the post, and particularly the bottom end thereof, is kept dry and prevented from decay by contact with water or earth moisture.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fence-post base the combination of the In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of'two witnesses.

SANFORD C. POWE.

Witnesses:

F. H. POWE, J. D. DONALD. 

